Cardiognosis
Encyclopedia
In Christian theology
, cardiognosis (literally Knowledge of the Heart) is a special charism
that God confers on some saints. In Christian asceticism
, the term Cardiognosis also indicates the ascetical methods and meditation techniques which have the purpose of reaching an inner state of mystical experience and, eventually, the charisma of Cardiognosis.
sense. The term is found twice in the NT, both times in Acts, and does not appear in the LXX.
1: 24 καὶ προσευξάμενοι εἶπαν, Σὺ κύριε, καρδιογνῶστα πάντων, ἀνάδειξον ὃν ἐξελέξω ἐκ τούτων τῶν δύο ἕνα. 15: 8 καὶ ὁ καρδιογνώστης ϑεὸς ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτοῖς δοὺς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καϑὼς καὶ ἡμῖν.
Also of relevance is Proverbs(27, 19): Quomodo in aquis resplendent vultus prospicientium, sic corda hominum manifesta sunt prudentibus.
The Ascent of Mount Carmel
by John of the Cross is informative. See II.26,13, and chapter 26 in general:
SII.26,14 es de saber que estos que tienen el espíritu purgado con mucha facilidad naturalmente pueden conocer, y unos más que otros, lo que hay en el corazón o espíritu interior, y las inclinaciones y talentos de las personas; y esto por indicios exteriores, aunque sean muy pequeños, como por palabras, movimientos y otras muestras. Porque, así como el demonio puede esto, porque es espíritu, así tambien lo puede el espiritual, según el dicho del Apóstol (1 Cor. 2, 15) que dice: Spiritualis autem iudicat omnia: El espiritual todas las cosas juzga. Y otra vez (1 Cor. 2, 10) dice: Spiritus enim omnia scrutatur, etiam profunda Dei: El espíritu todas las cosas penetra, hasta las cosas profundas de Dios. De donde, aunque naturalmente no pueden los espirituales conocer los pensamientos o lo que hay en el interior, por ilustración sobrenatural o por indicios bien lo pueden entender. Y aunque en el conocimiento por indicios muchas veces se pueden engañar, las más veces aciertan. Mas ni de lo uno ni de lo otro hay que fiarse, porque el demonio se entremete aquí grandemente y con mucha sutileza, como luego diremos; y así siempre se han de renunciar las tales inteligencias (y noticias).
The supernatural gift of Cardiognosis leads the saint, who received it, to establish in his heart an inner dialogue and an inner knowledge of God. This mystical experience is often described by Christian saints as the perceiving of the Inner Light
of Christ.
In the hesychast tradition, Cardiognosis is treated in most of the texts of Philokalia
(Gk. φιλοκάλειν To Love the Beautiful) as a continuous prayer to God. The same experience is described in another, much shorter, well-known book called The Way of a Pilgrim, in which a Russian traveler learns to pray continuously repeating the name of Jesus.
(founder of the Archeosophical Society
). Welding the hesychast tradition and the Christian
theology with the eastern techniques of yoga
meditation, Tommaso Palamidessi developed a new practice of Cardiognosis. This meditation technique is deeply treated in his essay The Mystical Ascesis and Meditation on the Heart. According to the archeosophical
teachings, cardiognosis is a method that will establish the experimenter's intelligence illuminated by the Intelligence of Christ in the heart. This technique, according to Palamidessi, will bring to experiment the vision of the Inner Light and constitutes a soft and danger-free way to the awaking of kundalini
.
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
, cardiognosis (literally Knowledge of the Heart) is a special charism
Charism
In Christian theology, a charism in general denotes any good gift that flows from God's love to man. The word can also mean any of the spiritual graces and qualifications granted to every Christian to perform his or her task in the Church...
that God confers on some saints. In Christian asceticism
Asceticism
Asceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
, the term Cardiognosis also indicates the ascetical methods and meditation techniques which have the purpose of reaching an inner state of mystical experience and, eventually, the charisma of Cardiognosis.
Cardiognosis as supernatural gift
Cardiognosis means the Knowledge of the Heart in a metaphysicalMetaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
sense. The term is found twice in the NT, both times in Acts, and does not appear in the LXX.
1: 24 καὶ προσευξάμενοι εἶπαν, Σὺ κύριε, καρδιογνῶστα πάντων, ἀνάδειξον ὃν ἐξελέξω ἐκ τούτων τῶν δύο ἕνα. 15: 8 καὶ ὁ καρδιογνώστης ϑεὸς ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτοῖς δοὺς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καϑὼς καὶ ἡμῖν.
Also of relevance is Proverbs(27, 19): Quomodo in aquis resplendent vultus prospicientium, sic corda hominum manifesta sunt prudentibus.
The Ascent of Mount Carmel
Ascent of Mount Carmel
Ascent of Mount Carmel is a 16th-century spiritual treatise by Spanish Catholic mystic and poet St John of the Cross. The book is a systematic treatment of the ascetical life in pursuit of mystical union with Christ, giving advice and reporting on his own experience...
by John of the Cross is informative. See II.26,13, and chapter 26 in general:
SII.26,14 es de saber que estos que tienen el espíritu purgado con mucha facilidad naturalmente pueden conocer, y unos más que otros, lo que hay en el corazón o espíritu interior, y las inclinaciones y talentos de las personas; y esto por indicios exteriores, aunque sean muy pequeños, como por palabras, movimientos y otras muestras. Porque, así como el demonio puede esto, porque es espíritu, así tambien lo puede el espiritual, según el dicho del Apóstol (1 Cor. 2, 15) que dice: Spiritualis autem iudicat omnia: El espiritual todas las cosas juzga. Y otra vez (1 Cor. 2, 10) dice: Spiritus enim omnia scrutatur, etiam profunda Dei: El espíritu todas las cosas penetra, hasta las cosas profundas de Dios. De donde, aunque naturalmente no pueden los espirituales conocer los pensamientos o lo que hay en el interior, por ilustración sobrenatural o por indicios bien lo pueden entender. Y aunque en el conocimiento por indicios muchas veces se pueden engañar, las más veces aciertan. Mas ni de lo uno ni de lo otro hay que fiarse, porque el demonio se entremete aquí grandemente y con mucha sutileza, como luego diremos; y así siempre se han de renunciar las tales inteligencias (y noticias).
The supernatural gift of Cardiognosis leads the saint, who received it, to establish in his heart an inner dialogue and an inner knowledge of God. This mystical experience is often described by Christian saints as the perceiving of the Inner Light
Inner light
Inner Light is a concept which many Quakers, members of the Religious Society of Friends, use to express their conscience, faith and beliefs. Each Quaker has a different idea of what they mean by "inner light", and this also varies internationally between Yearly Meetings, but the idea is often...
of Christ.
Cardiognosis as ascetical method
The term of Cardiognosis is also used to indicate the ascetical methods and meditations which lead to the Knowledge of the Heart. In the Bible, the gift of Cardiognosis is indicated in the speech on the Mountain (Matthew, 5:8) “Blessed are the pure of heart for they will see God”.In the hesychast tradition, Cardiognosis is treated in most of the texts of Philokalia
Philokalia
The Philokalia is a collection of texts written between the 4th and 15th centuries by spiritual masters of the Eastern Orthodox hesychast tradition. They were originally written for the guidance and instruction of monks in "the practise of the contemplative life". The collection was compiled in...
(Gk. φιλοκάλειν To Love the Beautiful) as a continuous prayer to God. The same experience is described in another, much shorter, well-known book called The Way of a Pilgrim, in which a Russian traveler learns to pray continuously repeating the name of Jesus.
Cardiognosis in new movements and thoughts
The practice of Cardiognosis has been revived by Tommaso PalamidessiTommaso Palamidessi
Tommaso Palamidessi was an Italian esotericist. Precociously attracted by astrology, parapsychology and yoga-tantric doctrines, he was led by his manifold interests in the field of the occult and by his intense spiritual pursuit to build up an original form of Esoteric Christianity, which he...
(founder of the Archeosophical Society
Archeosophical Society
The Archeosophical Society is a charitable cultural association founded by Tommaso Palamidessi in 1973. The purpose of the association is to study and develop Archeosophy.- The Archeosophical Society :...
). Welding the hesychast tradition and the Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
theology with the eastern techniques of yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
meditation, Tommaso Palamidessi developed a new practice of Cardiognosis. This meditation technique is deeply treated in his essay The Mystical Ascesis and Meditation on the Heart. According to the archeosophical
Archeosophy
Archeosophy is an original form of Esoteric Christianity developed by Tommaso Palamidessi in the late 1960s.-Definition:...
teachings, cardiognosis is a method that will establish the experimenter's intelligence illuminated by the Intelligence of Christ in the heart. This technique, according to Palamidessi, will bring to experiment the vision of the Inner Light and constitutes a soft and danger-free way to the awaking of kundalini
Kundalini
Kundalini literally means coiled. In yoga, a "corporeal energy" - an unconscious, instinctive or libidinal force or Shakti, lies coiled at the base of the spine. It is envisioned either as a goddess or else as a sleeping serpent, hence a number of English renderings of the term such as 'serpent...
.
External links
- Cardiognosis, Knowledge of the Heart an article by Tommaso PalamidessiTommaso PalamidessiTommaso Palamidessi was an Italian esotericist. Precociously attracted by astrology, parapsychology and yoga-tantric doctrines, he was led by his manifold interests in the field of the occult and by his intense spiritual pursuit to build up an original form of Esoteric Christianity, which he...